Month: May 2016

Let’s be honest. There’s a reason dad’s closet is filled with Santa Claus ties, shamrock ties, World’s Greatest Dad ties, pink ties, blue ties…. You see where we’re going with this. Dad is hard to buy for. I mean – is buying dad a hammer a bit like buying mom a vacuum? Is that Dremel the equivalent to buying mom a blender? It’s true that some moms cook or clean as a hobby and some dads actually enjoy woodworking. However, sometimes – those are just “go-to gifts.”

We wanted to do a little something for you to get the creative juices flowing. Dads are special and they have such important roles in our lives. For many, daddies are often our first loves and our forever heroes. Having said that, shouldn’t we really put some thought into this year’s Father’s Day gift? We think yes.

Did you know that the inaugural Father’s Day was in 1910 and it was to honor a single-father of six…. Yes, S-I-X children. We often hear of life as a single mother, but there are certainly dads out there that are baring the load of single parent as well. To all of those dads: You, my friends, are rock stars.

When buying gifts for dad, there really isn’t a one size fits all solution. Some dads are very family-centric, but work forces him to be a road warrior. What’s a gift that can quickly remind him of his family on the road?

Some dads are great at fixing stuff around the house, but they are always in trouble because they’re missing mom’s birthday or their anniversary. Uh oh! How about you save him the pain of the silent treatment in the future? Our countdown blocks are the perfect gift to make sure he never misses another important date.

Some dads love the outdoors! Why not plan a fishing trip with him? Nothing you could purchase him would amount to 8 hours of peace and conversation as you come up with stories about “the one that got away.” Oh – we know… it really WAS a 12 pounder.

Our dads are individuals. Their interests are as varied as the grains of sand on the beach. One gift would never suit each and every dad. With that being said, we wanted to give you some ideas. Maybe these gifts are what you’ll purchase – maybe it sparks another idea.

On our Pinterest page, we have noticed our Personalized Baseball, Bat and Glove rack has been pinned over and over again to go in to “man caves” and we think that’s a great idea. If you’re looking to go all out, send hubby or dad on a weekend get-away. Turn a corner of the basement or even the WHOLE basement into a permanent place for him to escape. Don’t have a basement, but have an extra room? That will work too. Trust us, this is the ultimate dad gift.

For some dads – particularly entrepreneurial dads – his hobby is his work. It seems like he’s always in his office. For him, work isn’t work because it’s something he created. He loves the time he spends in his office because his business is his work of art. Make the time in his office even more enjoyable with the products at Grovemade. Their laptop and monitor stands are incredibly sleek and we know he’ll love them.

Is your dad a biker (of the motorized sort) or would he like to be? We certainly aren’t suggesting that everyone has the money to drop on a new motorcycle, but it may be an option for some of you. If this is up dad’s alley, we’d like to recommend that you take a peek at Janus American Motorcycles. Janus motorcycles are hand-built in the USA and their products are insanely beautiful. For dads that are more shop and less bike inclined, Janus also has a leather and canvas shop. Here you’ll find quality, handmade worker’s aprons as well as moto-rucksacks.

Maybe your dad appreciates the finer things in life. What could be better than a genuine handmade leather collection? At Howl & Hide, you can walk away with a full leather collection. Handmade belt? Check. Wallet? Check. Has dad been in the market for a messenger or portfolio bag? You haven’t seen craftsmanship like this before.

Whether you choose one of our suggested gifts or if you come up with something on your own, we hope you truly put some thought into dad’s gift this year. Gifts of time and thought can literally cost you nothing, but will let him know you care and appreciate is many sacrifices. Happy Father’s Day, all you awesome dads!

Until next time… Keep it Craft-E!

Oh… and if you’re wondering where to get that I <3 Daddy frame in the image above, just click

As a new parent, there is more than enough to worry about. You investigate thoroughly the type of diapers to buy. Do you go cloth or disposable? If you go disposable – which brand? You spend countless hours on mommy blogs digging for the latest advice. You’re already planning for your child’s educational future. There’s already so much on your plate and you’d just like one decision that’s easy to make. Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a blog out there that handed you a list of toys/toy makers that take the work out of it for you?

Your wish is our command.

When we are in the market for most anything, we really like to focus on the little guys first. The small businesses everywhere are the ones that sustain our local economies. These companies are also the ones that take the time to add small, personal touches to really make your purchases stand out from the rest. At Craft-E-Family, we really make an effort to build relationships with our customers. Over time, that allows us to know how we can step our service up a notch and make each buying experience the best it can possibly be.

We love looking for other “mom and pop shops” that add that same personal touch to their crafts. You can buy wooden toys pretty much anywhere, but it doesn’t mean they’re handmade. We wanted to find some authentic workshop toys that you and your family can enjoy for the coming months and years.

At Craft-E-Family, we’re particularly proud of all of our kid’s blocks like the ABC Blockset, Barnyard Blocks and personalized baby and adoption blocks. With all of these blocks, we use solid white maple wood and they are treated only with beeswax. No chemicals are used on our children’s blocks.

Fact + Fiction is a small business that started as Little Adventure Toys. This year, they started a new chapter and became Fact + Fiction. We love this company not only because they’re focused on wooden toys as well, but they also are as passionate about the environment as we are. Safety is a major concern for Fact + Fiction and that’s evident in the design of their toys. Very smooth, rounded edges prevail in the toy design on their Etsy store. One of our favorites on their store is the Wooden Toy Camera.We’re big fans and we think you will be too!

We’re particularly fond of Rootin’ Ridge Toymakers. Rootin’ Ridge started in 1975. Specifically, they left their “real jobs” and started living their dream on April Fools Day in 1975. Their shop started in a very humble 8’x20’ space. They began making wooden toys that day and have been living the dream ever since. Over the years, they’ve made toys, games, puzzles and even musical instruments. Late last year, they closed their brick and mortar to focus solely on an online presence. We’re particularly fond of their Personalized Puzzles and Step Stools.

While wooden toys hold a very special spot in our heart, we were completely fascinated by Laughing Moon’s Toy Makers Collection. Terrie and Richard Floyd have been toy making since 1967. Over time, they’ve learned to blend different genres of art into their collections. Laughing Moon specializes in handmade and hand painted Jumping Jacks and wooden clocks. The detail that goes into both products is unmatched. They’re more than just toys and clocks. They truly are works of art. As we scrolled through the different products they offered, we found it hard to pick just even one or two that we loved. They’re all beautiful.

We’re so pleased to see such amazing toy makers out there that started from small beginnings and stuck with it to make successful businesses. We will continue to build them up the way that others have built us up through the years. Take a look at these incredibly talented makers. If you see something you like, purchase it from them. Small business truly does make our economy go-round. They may not be Craft-E-Family, but they really do #KeepItCraftE.